Kilts, Trews & Dress Hire

The Kilted Tilt

Kilts have come a long way since their first appearance. Think one long cloak wrapped around the waist and the excess draped over the shoulder, Mel Gibson-style from Braveheart. Though the original design has evolved greatly over the years—refined by fit, intricate pleats, tartans and accessories—the kilt has maintained its role as a traditional garment, kept in families for long periods of time and often a symbol of their clan tartan. Yet when it comes to variety and style, brides aren’t the only ones having all the fun nowadays. Kilt-wearers have a larger range of choice thanks to modern day versions of the age-old trend.

Last year, grey and black kilts became a noticeable trend among the shops, and one that promises to continue gaining popularity for 2010. “I think a lot of people are going for darker kilts, like pairing a charcoal tweed with a grey or black kilt,” says Libby O’Brien at Slanj. “People are moving away from traditional tartans a little bit.”

Jason Keith at Georgian Dress Hire agrees, adding that his store now stocks the Carlow, a dark pattern worn with black. They’ve also brought in new versions of the Blue Ramsey and Hunting Lindsay. And at McCalls, Bill Stewart says his Pride of Tartan line is following the, ahem, pattern with new tartans, like Hebridean Heather, Blue Ramsey and Grey Stewart.

But kilts aren’t the only thing going grey, sporrans are following suit. Many kilt shops are touting darker sporrans to match the grey and black trend for a sharp and distinguished look. McCalls recently added a line of sporrans in black and grey furs and pewter tops to coordinate with the new Pride tartans. The big news? The latest range is made of pony skin, in answer to the controversial laws set to phase out the use of seal skin this year. Many sporran collections are expected to incorporate synthetic materials moving forward. However, grooms can still have the pick of the litter when it comes to sporran fur. “All the ones we offer for purchase can come in fox, beaver, rabbit, you name it basically,” says Jason. “If it’s furry you can make a sporran out of it!”

Besides the kilt and sporran, there are accessories to consider: the belt, jacket, cufflinks, tie or bow tie, kilt pin, skean dhu (ceremonial knife) and ghillie brogues or shoes. These are great ways to make the attire your own by adding unique touches, like monogrammed cufflinks, or to keep the look simple and more traditional. “Georgian Dress Hire is certainly seeing a lot of Argyle and tweed jackets being worn, and both are being paired with ties rather than bowties,” says Jason. “We also do solid and tartan ties to match the kilts, but the tartan ties are more popular.”

If a groom doesn’t quite fancy a kilt, consider trews instead. It can also be a thoughtful choice for fathers or members of the wedding party ....